Spring compressor



'1. w. HARSLEY AND M. P. APGAR.

SPRING COMPRESSOR. APPLICATION FILED AUG-5,1921.

Patented Nov. 21, 1922.,

awwzntoz atented Nov. 21, 1922.

SPRING COMPRESSOR.

Application filed August 5, 1921. Serial No. 489,977.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN W. HARSLEY and MILTON P. APGAR, citizens of the United States, residing at New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Compressors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spring compressors or spring holding tools for use in connection with the assembling of poppet type valves in internal combustion motors. More particularly the invention relates to an improved combination spring compressor and spring clamp.

A primary object of this invention is to produce a device of simple and rugged construction which is eflicient in compressing a stiff valve spring, and which. may be used to conveniently insert the compressed spring into position upon the engine and in connection with the engine valve so as to avoid the danger to ones hands and awkward inconvenience heretofore experienced in placing valve springs on the motor.

It is an additional object to provide a spring compressor specially designed. for heavy duty, which spring compressor may be bolted or screwed to a work bench in order 7 that springs may be quickly and safely com pressed, after which the spring is held in compressed position by a suitable clamp while the mechanic assembles or replaces the valve spring in the cylinder head or in position on an-internal combustion motor.

The present invent-ion relates to a spring compressor tool in a way similar to the. spring compressor tool shown in our copending application for United States Letters Patent, the said application being filed July 2, 1920, Serial Number 393,479; excepting however the present application embodies certain improvements over our former application for patent, the said improvements more particularly relating to a bench type or heavy duty spring compressor for general shop work, whereas the compressor tool shown in the above identified application relates to a small portable compressor tool tvhi'eh is adapted to be carried in the tool box;-

of a motor car. The above identified application for patent has now resulted in a patent issued the sixth day of September, 1921, Patent Number 1,389,657.

The accompanying drawings show an embodiment of our invention, and though there is illustrated a'preferred form of construction, we claim the right of protection as to such changes in design, construction and operation which obviously come within the scope of this invention.

Figure 1 shows a perspective View of the spring compressor with the compressing device or head raised high above a spring which is supported on a base.

Figure 2 is arear view of the upper portion of the spring compressor showing the post and handle toggle mechanism.

Figure 3 illustrates a fragmentary part of the spring compressor, or a sectional view thereof as taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure t shows a perspective view of a spring which has been compressed by the compressor tool, and which spring is held in compressed position by the clamp illustrated in this view, thereby making the tool ready for insertion in position on an engine.

A spring compressor tool constructed in accordance with the principles of our invention, comprises a supporting post held by a base, and a guide bracket is adjustably mounted on the post. A compression rod is slidably confined in the guide bracket, and a lockable toggle-handle is arranged in connection with the compression rod to force this rod downwardlyagainst a spring. The compression rod is provided with a head to engage and compress the spring, and this head together with the aforementioned base, is provided with a groove or grooves into which slides the jaws of a clamp. The spring clamp functions to clamp and hold the spring in an position to which it may be compressed. ter the spring isthus compressed and clamped, the mechanic may remove the spring from the compressor and place the spring in the valve gear of an engine or any other place where the spring is to be used.

Referring now more in particular to the drawings for a detailed description of our spring and the washer-seatto be compressed.

This pin 5 is shown in Figure 1 rojecting above the spring-washer-seat, an i't is understood that this pin is a part fixed to the base 6 to help hold the spring" in position while a being compressed.

A supporting post is mounted on the base and standsin a vertical position to hold the spring compressing parts. The upper end of the postis provide with a longitudinal slot 12 which' is employed for the reception of a clamp screw, and the inner surface of the postis serrated or toothed as indicated a I e outer ends of the plates 33 are bent down bythe' numeral 14. A guide bracket is adjustably supported on the upper end of'the post 11 and this bracket comprises a pair of spaced parallel I arms 16wh1ch are integrally formed on a web '17. The web is serrated or toothed as'indicated'by the numeral 18, to correspond with the serrated surface 14; on the posti' The guide bracket, or the web l'fthereof, is 'made withholes 19 to vreceive a clampmountedon the outer end of the handle27 and is so placed as to enable an operator to -lower end of the compression rod.

screw 15"whichis insertedthrough one of these holesa nd throughthe slot 12 to clamp the guide bracket in fixed position on the post. The outer end of each arm 16 is novided with a hole or guide bearing in which a compression rod is slidably held, as later described. A lug or journalsupport 20 is 1 made'a part ofthe guide bracket and extends outwardly therefrom to carry a tog gle-h andle, as later described;

' Aicompression rod 22 is slidably mounted in the arms 16 and is held vertically over the base 6, anda head 23 is fixed to the v v The lower face ofithehead is grooved as indi catedhy the numeral 24.

A toggle-leverage is arranged to reciprocate thecompression rod, and thisleverage consists ofa-link 26 which is pivotally carvried on thelug 20, and is likewise pivotally connected with a handle piece or link 27.

Ahole is made in this link 27 and a pin 28 pivotally oins the link Y26 and the end of the handle link 27. A hand piece 29 is conveniently grasp the handle to operate the compressor. A stud-pin 30 is anchored totheilink or handle 29and ispivotally connect'ed with the compression rod 22. The

stud-pin '30 may be pivotally attached to the compression rod by a screw and nut fggmijection 31 or. any other appropriate means. The lug 20 and stud-pin 30 support push-rod;

A spring clamp is constructed with a pair 0t movable jaws and has a clamp-screw to hold the jaws" in fixed position. This spring clamp comprises two slide plates 33 movable one; on the other; A. clamp-screw 34 is passed through a slot 37 made in one plate and is anchored to the other plate so that when the screw34: is tightened up the two plates 33'are heldin'fixed relation. A guide pin or bolt 36 is anchored to one ofthe guide platesand' is slidably confined in a s10t-37111adeinthe other plate. The. guide pin allarge head,- as shown in Figure to eifect a guiding action between the two slidable clamp p lates. It is noted that the screw 34; and the guide pin 36i maintain the two clamp plates inalignment. The

to form jaws, and these jaws comprisepar allel spaced fingers or qaw parts32. One 1 aw ottlie clamp is supported in. the grooves 8"- of the base while the-other aw moves into the grooves 2 h of the head.

ally is prov dedwith a seat-washer so that the spring will sit evenly on the engine In the drawings the spring is designated by the numeral 39; and the washer iO is shown with a receptacle-flange which provides a positive seating arrangement for the lower end ot the'spring. The

washer 4O has a central hole throughwhich the valve ste nprojects and this hole in the washer is placed over-the center pin 5 of v the base when a spring is ,to becompressed.

makesthespring appreciably shorter in length.

i The an 2 i pushed downir 'd y nt the li 26 and 27am aligned,

and'the mechanic may push the handle 29 beyond the point of! alignment so as to cause the links 26 -and 27 to pass beyond the alignment centers of the several pivot points of the tool which effectively locks 1 the head 23 downwardly against the comv ressed spring. Theoperatpr may then-remove his hand and slip the clamp 33 into the grooves 8 and 24, and thusrthe clamp is caused to engage the spring 39 and hold it in compressed position when the handle q lates 38 in immovable osition )rior to ous lengths.

the release of'the pressure on the spring. The spring may now be safely removed from the spring compressor and inserted in work ing position on an engine.

It is to be noted that the grooves 8 and 24 are sufficiently deep to allow the jaws 32 of the spring clamp to easily slide into position over each end of the spring. It is understood that the spring is first compressed followed by the insertion of the clamp jaws 32 in the grooves 8 of the base and grooves 24: of the head after which the clamp-screw 34 is tightened up, followed by raising the handle 29 and pressing head 23 to allow the spring to be removed from the base. The spring is now held by the clamp, as shown in Figure 4:, so that it may be safely and conveniently handled.

Having described our invention what we claim is:

1. A spring compressor tool comprising a base, a post mounted on the base, a guide bracket adjustably carried by the post, a

compression rod slidably confined in the guide bracket, and means for moving the compression rod under force to compress a spring.

2. A spring compressorconsisting of a base adapted to be anchored in fixed position, a supporting post rising from the base, a guide bracket, the contiguous faces of the said supporting post and guide bracket being serrated to engage one the other, a clamping means to hold the guide bracket in fixed position on the post, a compression rod slidably confined in the guide bracket, and means for forceably moving the compression rod downwardly toward the base to compress a spring.

3. A spring compressor consisting of a base, a post mounted on the base, a gu de bracket carried by the post, a compression rod slidably confined in the guide bracket, and a toggle handle aranged to work the compression rod downwardly toward the base to compress a spring, and said base and compression rod having grooves for the reception of a spring clamp. I

4:. A spring compressing tool consist ng of a base acting as a seat to hold a spring to be compressed, a post rising from the seat, a spring compressing device, mounted on the post, and said compressing device being adjustably secured to the post for the purpose of accommodatlng springs of van- 5. A spring compressing too]. consisting bracket, and a handle establishing a of'a base acting as a seat to support a spring to be compressed, a bracket carried by the post, slidable compressing device carried by the bracket, a to ls carried by the connection between the toggle and the slida-ble compressing device to foreeably operate the compressing device and lock it against a spring under compression.

6. A spring compressor comprising a base to support a spring to be compressed, a post carried on the base, a guide bracket adjustably clamped on the post, a clampingscrew related with the post and guide brack st to adjustably hold the bracket at any desired position on the post, and a compressing device slidably carried on the guide bracket.

7 A spring compressor as defined in claim 9 wherein the post and the guide bracket is provided with a slot and a number of holes for the purpose of receiving the clampscrew in order that the said clamp-screw may be interchanged to any of the aforesaid holes and passed through the aforesaid slot to adjust the guide bracket relatively to the post.

8. A spring compressor comprising a seat to hold a spring, said seat having grooves made therein under the supported end of the spring, a post mounted on the seat, a compression rod carried by the post, a head secured to the compression rod, said head having grooves therein adjacent to the upper end of the spring to be compressed, and means for moving the compression rod and head against the spring.

9. A spring compressor comprising a seat to hold a spring, said seat having grooves made therein under the supported end of the spring, a post mounted on the seat, a compression rod carried by the post, a head secured to the compression rod, said head having grooves therein adjacent to the up per end of the spring to be compressed, means for moving the compression rod and head against the spring, and a clamping device slidable through the aforesaid grooves made in the seat and the head to confine the spring in compressed position.

10. A spring compressor consisting of a base provided with a groove, a spring to be compressed set on the base over the groove, a post mounted on the base, a compressing device carried by the post and positioned in line with the spring, a grooved head carried by the compressing device and adapted to move against the end of the spring, a toggle to actuate the compressing device, and a spring clamp slidable into the grooved head and grooved base at each end of the spring to hold the spring under compression.

11. A combination spring compressor and spring clamping tool, consisting of a grooved base upon which a spring is supto be forced against the spring, a toggle to actuate the compresslon rod, a sprlng clamp,

. jaws formed on thespring clamp and slidable into the grooved head and base ateaoh end of the compressed springand aelampscrew related with thespringclamp to hold themlamp 1n fixed position against the compressed spring; 7 V V v 111 testimony whereof," we have hereunto ,aifi-xedourhands this 29th day of July, 1921, iIrthe city and county of-New Yoflgborough ofManhat tan zind State of New York.

JOHN W. HARSLEY. lv lLToN-P. APGAR, 

